Saturday, January 24, 2009

Phulbari people use ballot to say no to open-pit mining

The people of Phulbari upazila in Dinajpur have elected an independent candidate as chairman who wooed the voters through a campaign against the proposed open-pit mining in the Phulbari coal field as it would displace thousands of people. Aminul Islam Bablu, a leader of rights group National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port, became chairman of the upazila in Thursday’s election bagging 57,262 votes against his nearest rival, Bangladesh Awami League-backed Sudarshan Palit’s 24,791 votes.

Bablu, who has been actively involved in the movements against Asia Energy’s proposed open pit mining in Phulbari coal field, during his polls campaign vowed that he, along with the people of the upazila, would resist any attempt to operate open-pit mining displacing their homes.

‘My position will remain the same. I will continue to remain with the slogan of the upazila people “no open-pit mining, no foreigners and no export [of coal]”,’ Bablu told New Age on Friday.

The election campaign of Bablu got momentum when people of all walks of life participated in the campaign, despite intimidation by activists of the AL-backed candidate. Even people, from beggars to school teachers, willingly gave donation to Bablu’s election campaign, according to the local people.

Professor Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the national committee, told New Age that the people’s verdict in favour of Bablu again showed Phulbari people do not want open-pit mining in the area.

‘Many people claimed that only people from outside of Phulbari are against the open-pit mining. I think the people of Phulbari have replied,’ he said.

Three people were killed and many others were injured in Phulbari in 2006 when law enforcers opened fire on people who were protesting against the proposed open-pit mining by the UK-based Asia Energy.

The then government signed a contract with the national committee that spearheaded the movement to oust the company from Bangladesh but the company is still active in the country.

The project will displace communities (500,000 if full scale project is realized) and destroy environment. Local communities do not want the project. On 26 August 2006 three person were shot dead when security forces fired on a peaceful protest gathering of more than 50,000 people. 100 more were injured. The company fled Phulbari and Bangladesh government signed an agreement with local community promising to expel Asia Energy Corporation from Phulbari and scrap the project.

This website is in solidarity with the community resistance in Phulbari.